Straining device.



N. J. KEPPLE.

STRAINING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1914.

l,148,$89., Patented Aug. 3, 1915.

WITNE55E5. |NVENTEIR W WW M 7 hr ATTDRNEYE]-uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu NICHOLAS J. KEPPLE, 0F BUFFALO, NEWYORK.

STRAINING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11 3, 1915.

Application filed October 1, 1914. Serial No. 864,438.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NICHOLAS J. KEPPLE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York,-have invented new and useful Improvements in Straining Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to a straining device which is more particularlydesigned for use between the water supply tank or reservoir and aninjector which leads to a boiler for the purpose of straining the waterbefore it reaches the injector and also permit of readily cleaning thestrainer, but the same may also be used for other purposes in whichsimilar conditions exist.

It is the object of this invention to pro duce a straining device whichwill effectively strain or separate any solid matter from the water asit passes from the supply tank toward the injector of the boiler andwhich can be readily and quickly cleaned, thereby enabling a full supplyof clear water for the boiler to be constantly maintained withoutpractically any interruption.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsection of a straining device embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section taken in line 2-2, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section taken in line 33, Fig. 1.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several views.

The body or casing of this straining device may be constructed in avariety of ways and forms and still accomplish the purpose for which thesame is intended. As shown in the drawings this casing comprises a mainchamber 1, an inlet or supply nipple 2, a main outlet nipple 3, anauxiliary out let nipple 4 and an auxiliary chamber 5 communicating withthe auxiliary outlet nipple e by a transfer portor passage 6 and havinga drain nipple 7.

The main outlet nipple 8 is preferably formed integrally with the mainchamber 1 and arranged onone side thereof but the inlet or supply nipple2 is preferably formed separate from the chamber and connected therewithby means of an external screw thread formed on the inner end of thislast mentioned nipple and engaging with an internally screw threadedopening in the adjacent wall of the main chamber. The inlet and mainoutlet nipples are preferably arranged horizontally and axially in linewith each other on opposite sides of the main chamber, and the inletnipple is connected with a water supply reservoir or tank by anysuitable construction of piping or conduits, and the main outlet nippleis also connected by any suitable system of pipes or conduits with aninjector leading to the shell of a steam boiler or elsewhere. In Fig. 1of the drawings a portion 8 of the pipe is shown which connects with themain outlet nipple and is adapted to be connected with the injectorabove referred to.

The auxiliary outlet nipple 4 is preferably arranged on the underside ofthe main chamber and communicates by means'of the drain inlet port orpassage 6 with the upper end of the auxiliary chamber. The connectionbetween the auxiliary chamber and the auxiliary outlet nipple may beproduced in any suitable and practical manner, the means for thispurpose which are shown in the drawings as an example, consisting of aninter: nally threaded socket 9 arranged at the upper end of theauxiliary chamber and having its thread engaging with an external threadon the auxiliary outlet nipple. The drain nipple 7 is arranged at thelower end of the auxiliary chamber and contains the drain outlet port orpassage 10 which forms part of a conduit adapted to place the inte riorof the auxiliary chamber in communication with the exterior.

During the normal operation of the straining device the water passesfrom the supply tank through the inlet nipple into the main chamber,thence through a screen or sieve into the main outlet nipple and thencethrough the discharge pipe 8 and the injector or other forcing devicewhich delivers the water to the boiler, but when the screen becomesclogged by an accumulation of large solid matter thereon a reversepressure is produced in the delivery pipeswhi'ch operates a valvemechanism for shutting off communication between the interior of themain chamber and the inlet nipple and causing any accumulations on thisscreen or sieve to be removed therefrom and discharged from the mainchamber through the auxiliary outlet, auxiliary chamber and the drainoutlet port of the latter. After the screen or sieve has been thuscleaned the back pressure in the discharge pipe is again removed and aforward suction created constructed as follows: 11 represents a mainvalve stopper, preferably though not necessarily of conical form,arranged in the main chamber and movable toward and from an inwardlyfacing valve seat 12 of corresponding form arranged around the inner endof the passageway or port extending through the inlet nipple. On itsfront side the main valve is provided with a guide stem 13 which engageswith the bore of the inlet nipple so that the latter serves as aguideway for this stem of the main valve stopper. Extending rearwardlyfrom the rear side of the main valve stopper is a tubular valve stem 14which is guided in a correspondingly shaped guideway 15 formed in theinner portion of the bore of the main outlet nipple. This tubular valvestem is provided with a plurality of small openings 16 extending fromthe here to the periphery thereof so that in effect this stem forms ascreen or sieve through which water may pass from the main chamber tothe injector and boiler but any large foreign matters or impurities,such as small pieces of wood or grass and the like, are held back on theperiphery of this screen and prevented from reaching the boiler. Themain valve is moved rearwardlv or inwardly into its open position bymeans of a spring 17 arranged within the passage of the inlet nipple andbearing at its outer end against an internal shoulder 18 formed withinthis nipple while its inner end bears against the outer end of the frontvalve stem of the main valve stopper. The opening movement of the latteris limited by engagement of the rear end of the screen valve stem withan inwardly facing shoulder or stop 19 formed within the bore of themain outlet nipple, as shown in Fig. 1. I

During, the normal operation of the straining device the water passesfrom the tank through the inlet nippleand past the open main valvestopper into the main chamber, thence through the openings of the screenor sieve mounted on the rear side of the main valve stopper, and thencepasses out through the main outlet nipple and through the piping to theinjector and boiler, the forward movement of the water in'this directionbeing caused by the action of the injector in the usual and well knownmanner. When a considerable amount'of foreign matter gathers on theouter side of the screen a perceptible decrease in the flow of water tothe boiler is apparent to the engineer and therefore serves as a signalthat the screen or sieve requires cleaning. In order to keep this screenor sieve clean and maintain a full and free flow of water practicallyall the time from the tank to the boiler, a back pressure of steam underthe control of the engineer is produced in the delivery pipe 8 either atregular intervals or whenever the engineer notices that the supply ofwater to theboiler is deficient. This back pressure in the delivery pipecauses the main valve stopper to be forced outwardly or forwardlyagainst its seat 12 on the inlet nipple so as to cut off communicationbetween the passage in this nipple and the main chamber and the waterand steam contained in the discharge pipe and the spaces communicatingtherewith is forced backwardly through the openings of the sieve orscreen from the bore to the periphery thereof, whereby anyforeign'matter lodging on the periphery of thescreen and clogging thesame is removed therefrom and discharged into the main chamber.

During thevtime that the strainer is in operation communication is cutoff between the main chamber and the auxiliary chamber but when a backpressure is produced for cleaning off any obstructions from the Iscreen, communication is established between the main chamber and theauxiliary chamber so that this foreign matter may be washed out by thebackwardly pressed water and steam from the main chamber into theauxiliary chamber and through the outlet port of the latter to theexterior.

Various means may be employed for controlling communication between themain chamber and the exterior, those shown in the drawings beingsuitable and preferred and constructed as follows: 20 represents anauxiliary valve stopper, preferably, though optionally, of conical form,arranged within the auxiliary chamber and movable toward and from anoutwardly facing valve seat 21 formed around the outer end of the drainpassage 6. This valve is guided in its movements toward and from itsseat by means of an upper'or inner valve stem'22 projecting upwardlyfrom the front side thereof and engaging with the drain passage 6 whichforms a guideway therefor and a tubular lower valve stem23 whichp'rojects downwardly or rearwardly from the rear side of the auxiliaryvalve stopper slides in the drain passage in the nip ple 7 wliich'formsa guideway for this last mentioned stein on the lower partof theauxiliary. chamber. Communication is established between the auxiliarychamber and the upper end of the tubular guideway by means of lateralopenings 25 formed in this tubular stem adjacent to the rear orunderside of the auxiliary valve stopper. The latter is yieldingly heldin its closed position by means of spring 26 arranged within the lowerpart of the tubular valve stem 23 andthe adjacent part of the drainoutlet port or guideway10 and bearing at its upper end against a down-.wardly facing internal shoulder 27 in the respective valve stem whileits lower end bears against an externally screw threaded supporting ringor plate 28 which engages with an internally threaded socket 29 at thelower end of the drain outlet nipple 7 While the water is being drawnfrom the tank through the main chamber and screen and discharged intothe boiler the auxiliary valve stopper is pressed by its spring 26against its seat so that communication at this time between the exteriorand the interior of the main valve chamber is interrupted. When,however, a backward pressure is produced in the discharge pipe whichoperates to force the main valve stopper. against its seat and removesthe foreign solid matter from the outer side of i the screen or sievethis same pressure operates to force the auxiliary valve stopper awayfrom its seat in opposition to the spring 26, thereby causing the waterand clogging impurities to be washed out from the main chamber throughthe transfer passage 6 into the auxiliary chamber, thence, through theopenings 25 into the interior. of the lower tubular valve stem 23, andthence, through the drain outlet port or passage and the supporting ringto the exterior of the straining device. This reversal in the movementof the water and steam in the discharge pipe and the conduits connectedtherewith is continued a suflicient length of time to thoroughly removeany obstructing foreign matter from the sieve or screen after which theback pressure is cut off and the injector caused to operate in thenormal manner, so that the water is again drawn forwardly from thesupply tank through the main chamber and sieve and discharged to theboiler, at which time the main valve stopper is opened and the auxiliaryvalve stopper is closed. The cleaning ofthe sieve or sc e n by warmers nb f ected v y qeiek y and with med ally 1. 1 i errilrti e in the supplyof water to the boiler so that it ispossible for the engineer to alwaysmaintain a full and free supply of water to the boiler. When the wateris drawn from the tank through the straining device and discharged tothe boiler by means of an injector which connects with the outlet of themain chamber the suction of the injector together with the pressure ofthe spring 17 operate to hold the main valve stopper normally in itsopen position while the back pressure of steam and water through theoutlet of the main chamber and sieve or screen operate to close the mainvalve stopper.

In order to prevent any water from lodging in the main and auxiliarychambers and the drain passages communicating therewith and becomingfrozen therein, means are provided for manuallyopening the auxiliaryvalve stopper partly while the engine is standing still in winter time.These means may be variously constructed but those shown in the drawingsare suitable and comprise a finger piece or locking pin 30 projectinglaterally from the outer stem of the auxiliary valve stopper through alongitudinal slot 31 in the lower drain nipple of the auxiliary chamberand adapted to move lengthwise in said slot from end to end thereof orto be interlocked with a notch 32 formed in one wall of said slotbetween the ends thereof.

During the normal automatic operation of the auxiliary valve stopper thepin 30 moves back and forth in this slot as this stopper is moved towardand from its seat by the spring 26 and the back pressure of the waterfrom the discharge pipe. When the engine stands still in winter time orcold weather, the engineer engages the looking pin with the notch 32 sothat the auxiliary valve stopper is held in an open position and anywater in the main chamber and the passages connecting therewith maydrain out so that the same will not freeze therein.

' I claim as my invention:

1. A straining device comprising a casing having a main chamber, a waterinlet, a main water outlet, an auxiliary water out let, an inwardlyfacing valve seat arranged around said inlet, a main guide around saidmain outlet, an outwardly facing valve seat around said auxiliaryoutlet, and an auxiliary guide around said auxiliary valve seat, a mainvalve stopper movable toward and from said main valve seat and having aperforated tubular stem which slides in said guide, and an auxiliaryvalve stopper mov able toward and from said auxiliary valve seat andslidable in said auxiliary guide.

2. straining device comprising a casing having a chamber, a water inlet,a mai Wa e u l t a ux ia y Wat ut let, an inwardly facing valve seatarranged around said inlet, a main guide aroundsaid main outlet, anoutwardly facing valve seat around said auxiliary outlet, and anauxiliary guide around said auxiliary valve seat, a main valve stoppermovable toward and from said main valve seat and having aperforatedtubular stem which. slides in'said guide, an auxiliary valvestopper movable toward and from said auxiliary valve seat and slidablein said auxiliary uide, a spring for yieldingly holding Said main valvestopper in its open position, and a spring for yieldingly holding saidauxiliary valve stopper in its closed position.

3. A straining device comprising a casing having a main chamber, a'water inlet, a main water outlet, an auxiliary water outlet, an inwardlyfacing valve seat arranged around said inlet', 'a main guide around saidmain outlet,'anloutwardly facing valve seat around said auxiliaryoutlet, and an auxiliary guide around said auxiliary valve seat, amain'valve stopper movable toward and from said main valve seat andhaving a perforated tubular, stem which slides in said guide, anauxiliary valve stopper movable toward and from said auxiliary valveseat'and slidable in said auxiliary guide, a spring for yieldinglyholding said main valve stopper in its open position, a spring foryieldingly holding said auxiliary valve stopper in its closed position,and means for locking said auxiliary valve stopper in its open position.a

4. A. straining device comprising a casing having a main chamber, awater inlet surrounded by an inwardly opening valve s seat and adapted.to ,be connected with a 40 water supply tank, a main outlet adapted tobe'connected with an exhausting device and surrounded by a guideway andan auxil: iary Waste outlet surrounded by [an outwardly facing valveseat, a main valve stop per movable toward and from said main valve seatand provided with a perforated body movably engaging said guideway, andan auxiliary valvestopper movable "toward and from said auxiliary valveseat.

5. Astraining device comprising a cas-- ing having a main chamber, awater inlet surrounded by an inwardly opening valve seat and adapted tobe connected with a water supply tank, a main outlet adapted to beconnected with an exhausting'device and surrounded by a guideway and anauxiliary waste outlet surrounded by an outwardly facing valve seat, amain valve stopper movable toward and from said main valve seat andprovided with a perforated bodv movably engaging said guideway, anauxiliary valve stopper movable toward and from said auxiliary valveseat, a spring for yieldingly holding the main valve stopper-finiteopen-position, and a spring for yieldingly holding the auxiliary valvestopshoulder and a main guideway, a main out let nipple containing acircular guideway, and an auxiliary outlet nipple having an outwardlyfacing auxiliary valve seat, a main valve stopper arranged in said mainchamber and movable toward and from said main valve seat and providedwith a forwardly projecting front 'stem'whi'ch slides in said mainguideway and a perforated tubular rear stemforniing a screen and slidingin said circular guideway, a spring in terposed between said front guidestem and said shoulder and operating to hold said main valve stopperyieldingly in. its open position, and an auxiliary valve stopper movabletoward and from said auxiliary valve seat.

7. A straining device comprising a casing having a main chamber, aninlet nipple having an inwardly facing main valve'seat, a main outletnipple having a guideway, and an auxiliary outlet nipple having anoutwardly'facing valve seat, a guideway, and a longitudinal slotprovided with a laterally extending notch in one of its walls betweenopposite ends thereof, a main valve stopper movable toward and from saidmain valve seat and having a screen slidable in the guideway of saidmain outlet nipple,

and an auxiliary valve stopper movable t0- ward and from the auxiliaryvalve seat and chamber with said main chamber and provided with anoutwardly facing auxiliary valve seat while the outer end of theauxiliary chamber is provided with an outer pas sageway, a supportingring securedto the outerend of the auxiliary nipple, an auxiliary valvestopper arranged in the auxiliary chamber and movable toward and fromsaid auxiliary valve seat and having an inner stem which is guided insaid innerpassageway, an outer tubular guide stem sliding in said outerpassageway and latera l openings extending from the bore of'said tubularstem to the periphery thereof 'with-' in said auxiliary chamber, and aspring interposed between the tubular stem raid auxiliary valve andsaid: supporting ring.

9. A straining device comprising a cham- Witness my hand this 29th dayof Sepber having an inlet, a main outlet, and an ternber, 1914.auxiliary outlet, a main valve stopper adapted to control said inlet, anauxiliary valve stopper adapted to control said auxiliary outlet, and ascreen covering said main out- Witnesses: let and movable With said mainvalve stop- RUSSELL N. KEPPLE, per. THEo. L. POPP.

NICHOLAS J. KEPPLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, 1). G.

